At Arbor View Assisted Living, we aim to raise the standard of senior care. The transition from home to assisted living can be difficult, not only for your loved one, but also on the rest of the family as well. One of our goals at Arbor View is to make sure the process runs as smoothly as possible.
The holiday season in our assisted living community is a special time. We do everything in our power to help our residents feel at home and cherished over the holidays, but we’ve also come up with eight fun ways that you, as family members, can keep some of your own traditions alive!
Communicate with Staff:
Assisted Living Communities have events and activities that your loved one can participate in! As the holidays approach, the events are all centered around a holiday theme. We would love for you to come in and enjoy some of these activities and events with your loved one.
Plan a Surprise Family Visit:
Another way to make your loved one feel extra special this holiday season is to plan a surprise visit with your family. Get a few family members together and plan a fun surprise!
Decorate Their Apartment Together:
Some of the most cherished holiday memories are decorating our homes. Putting up the Christmas tree, stringing lights, placing holiday decor throughout the house—these are the fun and exciting things we all do during the holidays! Moving into assisted living doesn’t mean you can no longer keep up with this tradition! Bring in some of your loved one’s old holiday decor and a tabletop tree and decorate away!
Help Wrap Presents:
Even if your loved one isn’t buying presents for others any longer, you can bring in some of the smaller gifts you have to wrap and the two of you can wrap together! It will remind everyone of special memories from season’s past.
Plan a Holiday Movie Night:
It’s A Wonderful Life, anyone?! Holiday, feel good, movies can be a special touch to the season for you and your loved one. Grab some fuzzy blankets, hot cocoa, and flip on the movies you always used to watch together.
Try a “No Bake Oreo Truffle” Recipe:
We’ve found a delicious recipe that requires absolutely NO baking! Did you and your loved one used to bake cookies together each holiday season? You still can. You could even prepare a few holiday themed cookie packages to deliver to some of your loved one’s friends in the community.
Write Out and Send Holiday Cards:
Holiday cards are a long running tradition amongst many families. The great thing about this activity is that you can write holiday cards anywhere! Pick up some festive holiday cards and bring them on in!
Take Them Out Into the Community:
Can your loved one still get out and about into the community? Take them for a fun car ride to look at all of the holiday lights in the neighborhood! If they can’t get out and about any longer, you could also film the lights yourself and show them videos.
One of the most important things to remember is that the number one cherished activity during the holiday season is spending time with family and loved ones. You are helping your loved one feel extra special and loved just by stopping into the community. These activities are just the icing on the holiday cookie!
